Several changes in the monthly power rankings… Our insider panel names the teams to watch after the holiday break.
BY Jonathan Huntington
SASKATOON – There is no shortage of intrigue in the latest SMAAAHL Power Rankings. Our panel of 14 insiders – coaches, managers, broadcasters – combined to make eight changes on the leaderboard compared to November.
- Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors: Nine points behind Regina in the regular-season standings, but four games in-hand and an OT head-to-head victory on Nov. 29 puts MJ ahead in our insiders’ panel.
- Regina Pat Canadians: Pat Cs haven’t lost in regulation in 20 consecutive games, but still remain in second place in the rankings.
- Swift Current Legionnaires: Barely hold onto third-place; after a torrid start to the season, they’ve only won five of their last 10 games.
- Saskatoon Blazers: Moved up one spot; more importantly, the Blazers have one open roster position if they can find an impact player in the second-half of the season.
- Estevan Innovex Bears: A big jump in the rankings; the Bears haven’t lost in regulation in 13 tilts.
- Warman Wildcats: An inconsistent November with only three wins in nine games, but one of those victories came against MJ.
- Battlefords Stars: Seven wins in November led to a boost in the rankings, but the final four games in December are a big test: Blazers, Moose Jaw (twice) and Contacts.
- Tisdale Trojans: Tough stretch to end November, but Trojans played well against Regina on Dec. 7th – holding two leads before giving up three goals late to lose.
- Prince Albert Mintos: Full marks for upsetting MJ this weekend, but big tests continue with key games against Warman and the Blazers before the holidays.
- Saskatoon Contacts: Beware of the Contacts – victorious in five of their last six games, including beating Swift Current on the road on Sunday.
- Yorkton Maulers: Winless in their last nine games, the Maulers had a 3-1 lead against Estevan on Saturday before losing in OT. That first 40 minutes could be something to build on.
- Notre Dame Hounds: Tough first half of the season; ND lost four one-goal contests in November.
FINISH LINES: We asked our panel to name the “Team to Watch” after the holiday break. Four teams received votes and comments.
Saskatoon Blazers: “The goalie tandem is playing good and they have healthy bodies back in the line-up that are putting-up good offence,” said one insider. Another coach said: “They continue to put-up wins and climb the standings.”
A different insider commented: “From a statistical standpoint, a majority of their games in the second half will be against teams in the bottom half of the standings.”
To no surprise, the Contacts received attention from the panel: “They play the right way and scoring by committee will figure itself out,” stated one bench boss. Another coach said: “A young team that is starting to play well.”
The Warman Wildcats had multiple votes as the team to watch. “They have been tightening their defensive structure and shown they can skate with anyone. Their confidence is growing and could jump multiple spots in the standings with a good post-break rush,” said a coach.
A manager added: “They have played a bit inconsistent but have the firepower and depth to make a move to the top 3 in the standings. They are tough to play against and once they put it all together, they can go on a run.”
The strongest comments were directed toward Moose Jaw as the team to watch. “This team is a great mix of talent and grit that teams won’t be able to keep up with,” stated a coach. “They play fast, physical and strong defensively. I think you will see them be strong in the second half and a team that no one will want to face in the playoffs.”
